Shower Tray Sealing problems

[Rattz]

I've recently renovated my house but have been noticing slight leaks from my shower.

Let me paint the picture.

Shower tray, secured and fitted before tiles were put on the walls.

Whole area was grouted. Tiler also rang a small seal of clear silicon around where the tiles / grout met the shower tray and also on the upright joints in the corner. All in all it looked like had done a very tidy job. We laid the floor but as yet have not put the trim on the edges of the floor up to shower enclosure (when I say enclosure, 3 walls and then the front has large shower screen).

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2490483&id=532947516

If you can't see this pic try here

//www.diynot.com/network/Rattz/albums/

We noticed that the wood fibre board that the bathroom laminate sits on is getting slightly damp at two points, namely at the either end of the shower so suspect there is 2 minor leaks.

After speaking to some people they've recommended that I dig out all the grout that sits between the bottom tile and shower tray and re-seal. After doing some reading I'm not convinced that simply slapping some silicon sealant in there is going to be any better than what was there previously. What alternatives do I have without removing tiles / the shower tray?

Any help appreciated.

 

[SUPERPLUMBER]

I notice that the enclosure is bigger than the tray, is the left hand edge of the sill also sealed. is the inside of the enclosure sealed? if hes done the outside only then you may get standing water within the metal uprights too.

re sealing may solve the problem, but the only real way to check the install is to pull out the tray again

 

[Rattz]

Left hand side of enclosure is tiled and grouted. I think he originally he mentioned that due to its size (120cm tray) that water was unlikely to get that far over but in reality it does.

Subsequently I recently went over all grouted area's at the bottom on left hand side with clear silicone sealant. This made no difference. the leaks as such appear at exactly where the shower tray ends on the right and left hand side.

Metal uprights are only sealed from the outside and not the inside, I did add some extra sealant at the bottom on the inside, maybe I should add more.

Have you heard of a product called shower seal ultra 10.

Appreciate the comments about removing the shower tray however as the tiles we added after the tray it would mean considerable work to check. May be a last ditch option.

 

[seco services]

did you seal the showertray edge before fitting the upright ?

 

[Rattz]

Plumber fitted the tray and sealed the two edges (right hand side of pic and back) with silicon sealer before tiling took place.

He then grouted and then clear sealed the points at where the shower tray and tiles join.

 

[tryitandsee]

Nice set up

I feel you should not seal with silicone on the inside edges to the shower frames (sides and base) as this will trap water behind the metal/ali channel. The water should be able to drain away, back to the shower tray.

Make sure the silicone was sealed behind the uprights before being put in place at the bottom where it meets shower tray.

 

[bathstyle]

Were the walls tanked?

The shower Enclosure is most likely to require sealing on the following points:-

- Both wall channels from top to bottom on the inside

- Horizontal bottom profile on the outside

- 100mm up from tray on wall profiles on outside of tray and where enclosure slots into wall channels (some manufacturers recommend sealing all the way up.)

- Most importantly, the tray to tile joint behind where the wall channels sit should be sealed the day before you fit the wall channels. This is a common leak point

The reason the outside of the horizontal bottom profile should be sealed and not the inside is so that the water can drain back into the tray